Author: Shannon Rae Gentry

I’m a writer, collaborator, and community-minded creative working to reimagine encore magazine, our region’s longest-running alt-weekly, not just as a newspaper, but as a shared space where culture, civic life, and local voices meet.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Theater

BEYOND ONE ROLE: ‘Shakespeare in Love’ opens this week at Thalian Hall

  Many of us hear “Shakespeare in Love” and automatically think of the 1998 movie with Joseph Fiennes playing a young Bard, and Gwenyth Paltrow as Viola de Lesseps, an aspiring actor forbidden to take her place on stage. As its title promises, Shakespeare falls in love with Viola and sets into motion an Elizabethan-era romantic comedy. Making matters worse, the famed playwright is dealing … Continue reading BEYOND ONE ROLE: ‘Shakespeare in Love’ opens this week at Thalian Hall

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Concerts, Music

EMBRACING THE WEIRD: Eyeball brings psychedelic neo-space rock to ILM

  “A band like ours doesn’t have too many choices of places to play because we are so weird,” says drummer Trey McLamb of his band Eyeball. Since he and Myriam Martian (guitar, art-noise) founded the Raleigh-based psychedelic project in 2015, they’ve mostly played near or west of the Triangle in venues catering to artsy, outside-of-the-box music. Wilmington’s Juggling Gypsy fits the mold and will … Continue reading EMBRACING THE WEIRD: Eyeball brings psychedelic neo-space rock to ILM

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Music

LAST CALL: Steve Forbert helps play out TheatreNOW

  Wilmington bids farewell to its first and only dinner theatre, TheatreNOW, this month. The theater opened its doors in July 2012. Its final theatrical production, “Clue: The Musical,” premiered in July and was a hit with audiences and encore’s Gwenyfar Rohler alike. Folks can catch the show’s final curtain call August 23-24. TheatreNOW’s Super Saturday Fun Time Finale is also set for August 24 … Continue reading LAST CALL: Steve Forbert helps play out TheatreNOW

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Music

20-YEAR HAZE: Umphrey’s McGee preps for sold-out show at GLA

  Now that hemp production is legal in North Carolina (as part of a state pilot program allowed under federal law) and CBD becoming a growing industry, NC seems prime to climb aboard the “Green Rush.” At least we’re reaching a point of normalizing conversations about CBD, hemp and marijuana. “I use CBD pretty regularly and it helped my mom quite a bit in her … Continue reading 20-YEAR HAZE: Umphrey’s McGee preps for sold-out show at GLA

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Music

PURE GOLD: Max Frost is a one-man spectacle

  “I was always hoping to get a mentor,” singer-songwriter Max Frost says of Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick of Fitz and the Tantrums. “It’s sort of like ‘The Karate Kid’: learning from Mr. Miyagi, in this case, the older, wiser, more experienced artist. . . . He acted more as a compass for how I was putting it all together.” Frost tapped Fitz to help produce … Continue reading PURE GOLD: Max Frost is a one-man spectacle

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Music

ROCKIN’ WITH THE DEVIL: Bible of the Devil steer away from modern metal

    It doesn’t get much more metal than naming a band Bible of the Devil (BOTD), but this Chicago-based outfit has more rock ‘n’ roll layers to their sound than just hardcore, pulsating punch. Made up of lead singer Nate Perry (guitar), Chris Grubbs (guitar, backing vocals), Darren Amaya (bass, backing vocals) and Greg Spalding (drums and loathing), they’re celebrating 20 years together with … Continue reading ROCKIN’ WITH THE DEVIL: Bible of the Devil steer away from modern metal

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Music

ALONG FOR THE RIDE: Justin Lacy debuts ‘Weeds’ stop-motion music video

Justin Lacy gets to play with his dream band Thursday at Bourgie Nights: a 10-piece folk ensemble,  made up of LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne (vocals), Hillary Flowers (cello), Billy Heathen (mandolin), Jon Hill (drums), Annie Jewell (violin), Nick “Bear” Loeber (bass), Farrah Roberts (vocals), Brent Trubia (viola), and Laura York (clarinet, bass clarinet). “I can’t overstate how amazing it is to play with these musicians live,” … Continue reading ALONG FOR THE RIDE: Justin Lacy debuts ‘Weeds’ stop-motion music video

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Music

ENGAGED EMOTIONS: Shana Tucker performs at 2019’s Lumina Festival of the Arts

North Carolina cellist and singer-songwriter Shana Tucker has been a musician since picking up a violin at 9 years old. She’s garnered a reputation as quite the storyteller in jazz and ChamberSoul. However, the drive to tell a story, to pen meaningful lyrics to music, came about when she saw Spike Lee’s 1990 joint “Mo’ Better Blues.” “There’s a song on that soundtrack called ‘Harlem … Continue reading ENGAGED EMOTIONS: Shana Tucker performs at 2019’s Lumina Festival of the Arts

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Music

LOOKING BACK: Two musicians talk more than 30 years of music in ILM

As encore celebrates 35 years of covering Wilmington’s entertainment, arts and community news, it only makes sense to celebrate long-standing musicians who have been around just as long (or longer). There’s easily a century’s worth of songs between bands like Polar Bear, The Wolfe Gang, (formerly Michael Wolfe and the Wolfe Gang), singer-songwriter Laura McLean, and gospel-jazz pianist Stephen Bradley. “I began playing the piano … Continue reading LOOKING BACK: Two musicians talk more than 30 years of music in ILM

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EXTRA & FEATURES, Feature

SAFETY AND SKILLS: Women’s class teaches about firearms and gun safety

“Buying a gun is like buying underwear: You’re not sending anyone else out to do it, so why are you going to take some guy down the street’s word on which gun to buy for yourself?” Mary Anne Peters rhetorically asks over the phone last week. Peters has taught conceal-carry courses since 2013 and was an instructor at BullZeye Shooting Sports before cofounding Pro Gun, … Continue reading SAFETY AND SKILLS: Women’s class teaches about firearms and gun safety

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